The mother of emerging NRL star Keith Titmuss – who died following a training session with the Manly Sea Eagles – says her son should still be alive as she seeks ‘justice for our family’ in taking legal action against the NRL club.
Titmuss lost consciousness immediately after a 139-minute training session at the team’s headquarters on Sydney’s northern beaches on November 23, 2020.
A coronial inquest into his sudden death heard several experts conclude the forward was suffering from exertional heatstroke when he had a seizure at an indoor facility.
The coroner found what Titmuss endured was ‘an inappropriate high level of intensity and not of a safe level or environment.’
A paramedic who treated the NRL rising star said his temperature was nearly 42C, which was the highest they’d ever seen.
The family of Titmuss – mother Lafo, father Paul and brother Jesse – have launched a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Manly in the NSW Supreme Court.
Lafo Titmuss, mother of Keith Titmuss, says her son should still be alive as she seeks ‘justice for our family’ in taking legal action against the NRL club
Manly’s Keith Titmuss died on November 23, 2020 after collapsing at training
‘We are just seeking justice. That’s why we’ve made the decision we’ve made,’ she told the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘It’s a very hard thing because you have Manly, who acknowledged soon after the inquest that it should never happen again. It should never have happened in the first place.’
The family is arguing the NRL club failed their son in its duty of care given Titmuss ‘never came home.’
Titmuss’ teammate and childhood friend Josh Schuster told the inquest into the 20-year-old’s death that on the day it was ‘one of the toughest training sessions I’ve ever done.’
However, former Manly Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler rated it as a ‘six or seven’ out of ten and said the team had been encouraged to take breaks if they were struggling.
Counsel assisting the coroner Adam Casselden SC said Titmuss gained 4kg during the off-season and his fitness test scores suggested he was ‘the least fit member of the squad’.
Mr Casselden said none of Titmuss’ teammates, Manly Sea Eagles staff or paramedics could be criticised for not recognising the ‘unusual signs’ of Titmuss’ heatstroke.
It comes as another former Manly player, Lloyd Perrett, is also taking legal action against the club after he too allegedly suffered exertional heatstroke during a training session in November 2017.
Keith Titmuss’ fitness test scores suggested he was ‘the least fit member of the squad’ a hearing was told after his death
Former Manly coach Des Hasler claimed the players had been encouraged to take breaks if they were struggling
Lafo and Paul Titmuss speak to the media outside the Lidcombe Coroners Court in Sydney
The inquest into Titmuss’ death heard that after Perrett’s incident the club’s then-chief medical officer, Dr Luke Inman, made ‘recommendations aimed at educating relevant staff at Manly about the signs and symptoms of exertional heat illness’.
The inquest also heard how some Manly staff members implemented an unprofessional approach to the issue.
Lafo said she and her family decided to sue the NRL club after hearing the evidence presented at the inquest.
‘After understanding how Keithy died through the coronial inquest, we all concluded that Keithy’s death was 100 per cent preventable had Manly taken action after the incident that happened with Lloyd Perrett, a couple of years prior to Keithy’s death,’ Lafo said.
‘It’s shocking to the family. We’re thinking what more we can do to raise awareness that heat exertion is a very real thing in our game today.’
Lafo claims that her son wasn’t gradually eased back into training after his off-season break and his death has lessened their quality of life.
Mandating a two-week acclimatisation period when players return to training from an off-season and ensuring a medical officer signs off on training programs were also recommended at the hearing.
A Manly Sea Eagles spokesperson said: ‘Out of respect to the Titmuss family and current court proceedings, it’s not appropriate at this time to make any comment.’
